Toby

A deep, sensitive soul...loving and always
present.
I love you. Wherever he is-there will always be beauty.

May 2010...

So sensitive. So
difficult for him to lose his friends. Difficult to be alone. Yet
always filled with a joy- dancing in the wind, chasing his tail, playing
with the pack, rolling on the ground, frolicking in the snow- chasing
squirrels.- running in the tall grass. Oh yes- catching the ball- a world
famous tight end- speed and power- focus and flair.

March 2009...

I almost lost my Toby
this month. Day after day I was with him- crying, encouraging, endless
kisses- everything I could do to make him feel better- to buoy his spirits
and help his body heal. He is healing now- whatever toxins in this polluted
world caused this- I am struggling to identify- in the meantime there is the
ever present realization of how brief our time together is. A gentle, sweet
soul- endlessly beautiful and a reminder of the beauty in all life- all that
is worth preserving. I love him so much.

December 2007...

Each day Toby grows happier and more
playful and the bond between us deeper. He is a clown and loves to entertain. He dances, chases his tail,
rolls in the snow and grass, loves to retrieve sticks and alas loves to
chase squirrels. So eager to please and proud when he receives praise-which
is every day. Sweet, shy- we communicate with thought. In his eyes I see my true mother's eyes.

July 2007...

Each day Toby and I grow closer. He is my
guide, my brother- sensitive and sweet. In nature he he bold and free. In
the world of men, he is still shaken at times by the noises of decaying
technology. He is playful, calm. He is loving to all people and animals-
beautiful in all ways.

First Days....

Toby is an amazing dog. He is 55
pounds, two years old and very handsome (the picture doesn't do him
justice). He is extremely intelligent, calm and very sweet. He is great
around other dogs, children and adults. We have bonded very quickly- it is
as if we knew each other before. During the adoption process, I asked Toby
three times whether he wanted to be with me. The first time, I asked him in
my thoughts and he nudged me on the face with his nose. The second time,
again with my thoughts, he turned to me and moved closer. The third time I
spoke to him out loud and he communicated "yes". I also asked him if he
would be good to my home, and he said he would try. Three times was enough!

As soon as I got him home, it was as if he knew the neighborhood and my
home. He is at times a little hesitant on the leash- he never pulls and is
always polite, but at times he will hesitate if he is unsure about a place.
However, as soon as arrived home and got out of the car, he gingerly walked
with me to a grassy area and I sensed that he felt the place was familiar.
Maybe Tasha was talking to him and giving him pointers- I don't know. His
table manners are excellent and he usually stays close to me in the house.
He whines for brief moments and I think this is mostly due to the rapid
changes he has been going through over the past week. The whining always
stops when I pet him, but I am being careful not to inadvertently encourage
him. He is very bright and he is constantly taking in things- you can almost
see his mind at work.

From what I could learn, he was born in the wild. He is a mix of Chow,
German Shepard and possibly Golden Retriever. For a couple of months, he was
living in an orchard close to a family that had a ranch. Each day the puppy
would come closer to the family's home. Finally they began tempting him with
food and dog cookies. Once the family finally connected with him- he was all
over them with love. They adopted him and he was with them for two years.
For reasons that are unclear (they said he needed more love and attention),
they gave him up to a no kill shelter in Washington. He was there a couple
of days and then transferred down to the shelter in Portland (Family Dogs
New Life). He was there 3 days before I adopted him.

Toby's way- everything he does- he is so calm and present and quickly
understands what I want. He appears to be house broken and respectful of my
home. Before we went to bed, he came to the side of my bed to be petted (he
loves petting). I had the distinct feeling he was saying thank you for my
adopting him. When you meet him, you will see what a wonderful spirit he
has. He has the potential to be a therapy dog, but will have to overcome a
bit of shyness. It is far too early to judge, given that the poor guy has
been in four homes in two weeks.